On October 22, 1962, President John F. Kennedy informed the world that the Soviet Union was building secret missile bases in Cuba, a mere 90 miles off the shores of Florida. Kennedy ordered a naval quarantine (blockade) of Cuba in order to prevent Russian ships from bringing additional missiles and construction materials to the island, but by doing this the soviet premier Khrushchev gave his troops permission to launch missle attacks if invaded by the U.S. forces. The two leaders of the world's greatest nuclear superpowers stared each other down for seven days until Khrushchev blinked. On October 28th the Russian Premier conceded to President Kennedy's demands by ordering all Soviet supply ships away from Cuban waters and agreeing to remove the missiles from Cuba's mainland. After several days of fear on the brink of nuclear holocaust, the world could breathe once more.
On October 22, 1962, President John F. Kennedy informed the world that the Soviet Union was building secret missile bases in Cuba, a mere 90 miles off the shores of Florida. Kennedy ordered a naval quarantine (blockade) of Cuba in order to prevent Russian ships from bringing additional missiles and construction materials to the island, but by doing this the soviet premier Khrushchev gave his troops permission to launch missle attacks if invaded by the U.S. forces. The two leaders of the world's greatest nuclear superpowers stared each other down for seven days until Khrushchev blinked. On October 28th the Russian Premier conceded to President Kennedy's demands by ordering all Soviet supply ships away from Cuban waters and agreeing to remove the missiles from Cuba's mainland. After several days of fear on the brink of nuclear holocaust, the world could breathe once more.